Hawks coach wantit tae ‘skirl wi rage’ efter epic AFL final, as fans get crabbit for throwin bottles

Brisbane and Hawthorn fechtit oot ane o the best AFL finals in history, but whan the siren sounded the loudest noise in the MCG wis the booin.

Hawks players James Sicily, Tom Barrass and Jack Ginnivan had angry words wi the umpires, wha then had bottles flung at them frae Hawks fans as they left the stadium on Seturday nicht.

Coach Sam Mitchell impressively keepit his emotions in check throu a fraught post-gemme media conference, whaur he spoke o mournin.

“This feelin is the pits,” Mitchell said.

At the hert o Hawthorn’s collective rage wis the haudin-the-ball free paid against Jarman Impey in the last minute o the match. It wis the maist controversial o a wheen o contentious umpiring calls durin the gemme.

Brisbane’s Hugh McCluggage then kickit the match-winnin goal – the nint lead-change o the gemme and the fowert in the last few frantic minutes.

Ruckman Lloyd Meek, wha wis near Impey whan the free wis paid, swore while speakin tae reporters in the rooms. “It’s hertbreakin ... excuse the bad language, ye can edit that ane oot,” Meek said. “We pour our hert and soul intae this.

“I wis standin richt next tae him – I will be re-playin that ane for a while.

“I juist feel like I probablie cud have jumpit on and knockit the ball oot or done a ‘stacks-on’ – somethin ... it’s hard, in the dyin moments.”

Mitchell said he wis aware o the bottles bein flung on tae the grund.

“At the end o the gemme, pairt o me wantit tae break doun in tears, pairt o me wantit tae skirl wi rage, pairt o me wantit tae fling chairs, ye dinna ken how tae react,” he said.

“Sae whan ye are in the stand, ye need tae continue tae be feelin that emotion, because that’s why we loe it, but how it manifests itsel – we shudna be flingin things on the field and daein those types o things.

“But the passion in the stand and the passion o the gemme is why we loe it sae muckle. Sae I hope that for the vast majoritie it wis felt responsiblie.”

The AFL Fans Association condemned the behaviour o a section o the Hawthorn crowd whaur fans flung bottles and cans on tae the field efter the match.

The AFLFA president, Ron Issko, said supporters had everie richt tae be passionate and frustratit but there wis a line that must no be crossit.

“Fans are entitled tae disagree wi umpiring decisions. They can boo, barrack and express their frustration. That’s pairt o bein a passionate fitbaa supporter,” Issko said.

“But it is never, ever an excuse tae fling bottles or cans on tae the grund or at the umpires. What we saw wis an ugly look for our gemme.”

The Victorian premier, Ben Carroll, said the behaviour wis “no on” and cawed for fans wha targetit umpires tae be “held tae accoont”.

“It’s no the Victorian way,” he tauld reporters on Sunday.

“I think these fowk shud be made an example o. This cud have had catastrophic injuries.

“If ane o those bottles or cans hit an umpire on the heid, wha kens what cud have happened.”

Mitchell believit the performance had shawed the fitbaa warld that Hawthorn cud be considered a “legitimate” team.

But the fiercely competitive mentor conceded this wis the angriest he had been efter a gemme and said it wis owre early tae consider how his players cud reflect.

“I think we are in a mournin phase. What’s the first pairt, is it anger? I think I am still half in anger, probablie sense it in my body language,” he said.

“What’s efter anger? I dinna ken, last is acceptance and – I near said a bad word – I am a lang way frae acceptance richt noo.

“I will sit in anger for a bit langer, I am sure a the players will an a.”

Mitchell spoke o his pride in the Hawks, wha staged an outstandin comeback in the final quarter.

“If ye want tae strive for great things, ye will open yersel up for a sorts o emotion, the greatest o joy, and the deepest o pain,” he said.

“That wis a gemme for the ages. I am sure I will appreciate it at some point,” he said.

For the Lions, Kai Lohmann wis brilliant wi five goals, includin three in the decisive third term. Harris Andrews again starrin in defence, and McCluggage cappit his return tae form wi the match-winnin goal.

“That wis bonkers – juist a rollercoaster o emotion,” Andrews said.

“It’s hard tae digest richt noo. I am juist sae proud o the way the laddies were able tae handle those moments late.”

Charlie Cameron put the match on a par wi Brisbane’s comeback 2024 semi-final win owre GWS, whan Brisbane ralliet frae 44 points doun tae get up by five points.

“The Giants semi-final wis probablie my favourite gemme o a time,” he said. “But aye, that wis up there. Hughy McCluggage. What a star.”

Brisbane’s 20.11 (131) tae 19.8 (122) win bookit them a meetin wi Fremantle in the grand final next weekend.

The Lions last played the Dockers at the Gabba on 30 May, whan they lost by 25 points amid a difficult run o form. But the Lions have experience on their side in their first final against the Dockers, wha are chasin a maiden premiership.

Coach Chris Fagan urged the Lions tae lean intae that experience tae seize the rare prize o an AFL premiership three-peat.

“It’s verie excitin tae be in the position whaur we can achieve somethin like that,” Fagan said.

“But it’s no worth thinkin about that because ye get caught up in thinkin the wrang way.

“We have juist got tae get back, recover weel, come back doun and juist follow our process.”